Intersecting Realities
by Genki Collective
Summary: ON HIATUS. Saten Ruiko is tired of being marginalized. Juufuku Miho seeks redemption. After their unexpected reunion, will they find what they seek? Saten/Juufuku; AT; yuri. A Railgun fanfic set two and a half years after the events in NT 6. CHAPTER 2: Miho tries to hold back her feelings; the partners face their first real test; in the aftermath, Ruiko makes a surprising request.
1. Senpai and Kouhai

_**WARNING! **__This story contains yuri subject matter. _Read at your own risk.

_**DISCLAIMER: **_I do not own any part of the _Raildex_ franchise. I do, however, own all original characters appearing in this fiction, and they may not be used elsewhere without my express written consent. I also do not own the cover art. That belongs to lexa (remove spaces and change "3" to "e"):: www . pixiv . n3t / member . php ?id=92869.

_**NOTE ON FORMATTING:**_ Internal monologue, flashbacks, and written/electronic/telepathic communications are _italicized_.

* * *

_**PREFACE:**_ This story is set some 28 months after the events of Volume 6 of the _New Testament_ light novel series, and is my take on what might happen if something actually came of Juufuku's one-sided crush on Saten. To my knowledge, it's the first Saten x Juufuku fic published on FFN. Happy reading! – Genki Collective

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**Chapter 1: Senpai and Kouhai**

As Juufuku Miho descended the long stairway in front of a certain high school, the early spring breeze swept through the cherry trees on either side of her, showering her with delicately scented blossoms. Like light pink polka dots, they clung to her dyed-chestnut hair buns and her navy blue sailor uniform, and collected in the space between her sleeve and her green and white Judgment armband.

Under normal circumstances, a stroll among the clouds of sweet-smelling petals was something Miho would have greatly enjoyed. Today, however, she was on patrol, and couldn't afford to treat the flowering trees as anything more than a minor distraction along her route. She would come back to enjoy them later, when she had the time to appreciate them properly. For now, she had to focus on her duties.

When she reached the base of the stairs, she pulled out her cell and tapped at the screen, brushing away the accumulated petals as she waited for the call to go through.

"Judgment Control," a laconic male voice answered.

"Agent 3635, Branch 176, Route B2," she recited from memory.

"Voice recognition check complete," the voice replied after a momentary silence. "Agent identity confirmed. Begin status report."

"I've reached Checkpoint 9 with no issues noted. I'm beginning the final leg of the route. Estimated completion time is 16:00."

There was another brief silence.

"Status report logged. Remember to call Control when you reach the end of your route."

"Understood," Miho replied. As the line went dead, she was already headed down the hill away from the school.

It was a routine call-in on an uneventful patrol. With so many of the students out of Academy City for spring break, both the school campus and its surrounding neighborhood were nearly deserted. Other than a stray aluminum can or two left behind by the sometimes less-than-thorough cleaning bots, Miho had encountered nothing out of the ordinary. For a change, there were no groups of delinquents making trouble, and no petty criminals to deal with. Everything seemed quiet. As far as Miho was concerned, that was just fine.

The weather was unseasonably warm for the final week of March. After several hours of walking under a relentless sun, Miho's throat was parched, so when she came to the convenience store a couple blocks away from the school, she decided to make a quick detour. According to her cell, it was only 15:44; there was plenty of time for her to pop inside to pick up something cool to drink and still be back at the branch office by 16:00 as scheduled.

As she pushed her way through the front door, the chimes hanging from it jangled, and she was immediately hit with the mingled scents of tobacco, newsprint, and convenience-store food. There wasn't much to the place beyond a few rows of shelves and a refrigerator case at the back, and yet Miho always found it welcoming, like an oasis in an otherwise barren cityscape.

The elderly clerk behind the front counter greeted her warmly, as befitting a regular customer.

"Ah, welcome back, Agent-sama! On duty today?"

"Yes, Obaa-san," Miho replied with a polite nod. "I'm just about done, though." She looked around the store, which was empty save for the two of them. "Slow day?"

"It's usually slow during spring break, especially at this time of the afternoon," the woman shrugged. "Not many students around, so it'll be dead for another hour or so, until the adults who work at the businesses near here get off work. Hey, where's that strapping young man you're always with? I haven't seen him in a couple weeks."

"My partner? I guess I should call him my ex-partner. He graduated, and he's with another branch near his new university now."

"Pity," the old woman clucked. "You two looked so good together. I'll bet you miss him."

In point of fact, Miho didn't consider her former partner's departure that much of a loss. They were an effective team as Judgment agents, but on a personal level, they hadn't cared much for each other. The old woman didn't need to know any of this, however, so Miho tried to make it sound as though she was sorry he was gone, even though she really wasn't.

"It can't be helped. My captain promised me a replacement, so I won't be patrolling by myself for long."

The clerk smiled encouragingly.

"Well, I hope it works out for you. Anyway, I've got a really good batch of steamed buns today. Pork, curry, and pizza. Have you eaten?"

She gestured toward the stack of treats lying under the nearby heat lamp. The mouth-watering blend of aromas had already gotten Miho's attention, but as tempting as it was to tuck in, she was in a hurry and didn't have time to linger.

"No, thanks. Maybe on the way home."

The brightly-colored cans of pomegranate cola seemed to be calling Miho's name from the refrigerator case, as if they knew how consuming her thirst was. Before she could reach inside to claim one, however, the door chimes tinkled again. Acting on impulse, Miho briefly glanced at the newcomer, then took a second, longer look. Something about him seemed off. It didn't appear that he had seen her, so she used her dummy check ability to blend in with the background – a trivial matter for a Level 3 – and moved out from behind the shelves to study him more closely.

Lean and well-muscled, with rugged, pock-marked features, a scraggly goatee, and long, greasy hair, he seemed far too old even to be a university student. Miho thought he was in his late twenties, at least. The way he was dressed – ragged, oversized baseball shirt with the sleeves torn off, and ripped, baggy jeans – was too shabby for a typical adult resident of Academy City. In short, he looked out of place in this part of town.

The man picked up a manga volume from the magazine display near the door, but Miho could tell he was only pretending to read it, because even though he was flipping the pages, he wasn't actually looking at them. Instead, he appeared to be scanning his surroundings, as if he was on the lookout for someone.

Something was very wrong – every instinct within Miho pointed to it. With her pulse pounding in her ears, she reached for her stun gun, but before she could take a step, the man made his move. He tossed the manga aside, and there was a sudden glint of light on metal. Miho's heart jumped into her throat.

"Open the till!"

The clerk gaped at the knife as the would-be robber waved it in her face. When she made no move to follow his instructions, his voice rose to a screech.

"I said open it, you old fart!"

"I…I c-can't…g-got to r-ring something up…"

"Then ring something up, bitch! Now!" He thrust the blade at her for emphasis, but the poor woman could do nothing but stand there, shaking like a leaf.

"Please…please don't kill me…"

"Open the goddamned register or I _will_ kill you!" the man snarled.

The adrenaline surged through Miho, sending her heartbeat into overdrive and making her hands tremble so violently she was afraid she might drop her stun gun. She had faced knife-wielding attackers before, but never by herself. The prospect terrified her, and it took supreme mental effort to fight off the sudden urge to hide in a corner. Over and over, as if chanting a mantra in her head, she reminded herself that as a Judgment agent, she didn't have the option to run.

During past incidents, her former partner had been the one to confront the criminals while she slipped in and shocked them into submission. It had been much easier for her to deal with the violence knowing he had her back, but she didn't have him to rely on anymore. It was up to her to handle this armed thug by herself. She wasn't sure she had the courage to do it, but as she looked into the ashen face of the woman behind the front counter, she knew she had no choice but to try.

Her game plan was simple. He still hadn't picked up on her presence, so it was a matter of getting close enough to stun him. As long he was distracted by trying to get cash from the register, it would work. It _had_ to work. She crept toward the unsuspecting thug from behind, moving as softly as her knocking knees would allow. His back was nearly within reach. Almost there…one more step…

_Wham!_

The toe of her shoe slammed into a stack of beer cases, and just like that, she lost the element of surprise. Startled by the noise, the man spun around, looking for the person he thought had crept up behind him.

"What the hell? Who's there?"

Miho froze, cursing inwardly as she frantically considered her options. There was no way she was going to charge right at him; it would be like running into a buzzsaw, even if he couldn't see her. No, she would have to circle around through the displays and maneuver herself back into position.

"Found you!"

The thug's words brought her up short. He was staring at the store window with an evil grin on his face. As Miho followed his gaze, she froze in horror. There in the tinted glass was her reflection, clearly visible next to his.

"I hate espers," he hissed. "Especially kiddy cops like you."

With blinding speed, he swung his knife in a wide arc, aiming for where he thought Miho was standing. She tried to jump backward, but didn't quite react fast enough, and the blade sliced across the front of her left shoulder, sending a spray of blood droplets into the air as it tore through her skin. With a gasp of pain, she briefly lost control of her dummy check, and as she turned visible, the robber cackled in triumph.

"Your ass is mine!"

He stepped forward, weapon raised, but then stopped short in confusion as Miho regained her concentration and blocked her image from registering in his mind. However, he only hesitated for a moment before resuming his advance, his blade sweeping back and forth, seeking her out. Miho's feet felt suddenly heavy, but her mind screamed that if she stood still, he'd find her and kill her whether she was using her ability or not. In desperation, she began to backpedal, grabbing whatever she could reach and throwing it at her attacker as she fought to stay out of range. His face a mask of fury, the thug dodged and ducked and flailed with his knife as boxes, cans, and jars seemingly flung themselves off of the shelves at him.

Eventually, Miho's hand closed around a bottle of rice vinegar, which she promptly threw at the man's head as hard as she could. This time, she scored a direct hit, and the bottle smashed into his nose. With a yelp, he reeled backward, and as he instinctively raised his hands to his face, the knife clattered to the floor, forgotten.

It was the moment Miho had been waiting for. She was now in control, and her terror evaporated as her tactical training kicked in. In a flash, she closed distance, jammed her stun gun under her attacker's ribs, and pulled the trigger.

"AIEEEYEAGH!"

With a howl of agony, the unfortunate criminal went rigid as the electricity took control of his muscles. Not taking any chances, Miho gripped his shirt firmly so she could keep the stun gun's electrodes in place. He was a serious threat, and she had no backup, so he needed to go down and stay down. Three seconds would do it.

_One thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three…_

When she finally pulled the gun away, the man keeled over face first, crashing to the floor like a tree falling in a forest. Moving reflexively, Miho had her electronic handcuffs on his wrists while his body was still twitching. After making herself visible again, she stood over the now-subdued criminal, stun gun at the ready, trying to keep her voice level and authoritative despite the desert-like dryness in her throat.

"I'm a Judgment agent. You are under arrest for attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault and battery, armed robbery, and possession of an illegal weapon. Please lie quietly, or I'll be forced to shock you again."

The warning was a mere formality. After three seconds of high voltage, the drooling, quivering man on the floor in front of her was in no condition to resist any further. He wasn't going to stay that way for very long, however, so Miho turned to the astonished clerk, clamping her usual veneer of politeness back in place to avoid upsetting the old lady any further.

"I'm deeply sorry about the mess. If you'd please call Anti-Skill, I'd really appreciate it."

"I hit the silent alarm right after he pulled the knife," the still-shaking woman informed her. "They'll be here any minute."

Sure enough, Miho could hear the sirens wailing.

"My, my…you were so brave, Agent-sama," the relieved clerk babbled. "You saved my life, and…my goodness, child, you're bleeding!"

Miho looked down at the large, dark bloodstain that surrounded the tear at the top of her left uniform sleeve. As if on cue, her adrenaline level crashed. The sudden wave of exhaustion and light-headedness forced her to her knees, and the gash in her shoulder, which she'd barely noticed until just then, suddenly throbbed with pain. The stain began to spread rapidly as her body left survival mode and she began to bleed more freely. With a grimace, she clamped her hand over the wound.

"Sorry to be such a bother," she deadpanned. "Do you have any gauze?"

"A hero is never a 'bother'," the clerk snorted as she hurried toward the display holding the first aid supplies. "I'll be right back."

"I'm no hero," Miho muttered after her.

She had just pressed a handful of gauze pads to her shoulder when Anti-Skill's response team burst through the store's front door in full riot gear. At their head, as usual, was Yomikawa Aiho, who was not only an Anti-Skill captain, but until recently had been Miho's first-year homeroom teacher. Yomikawa had become a mentor of sorts to Miho, and the two knew each other pretty well. For that reason, there was an easy familiarity to their mutual greeting.

"Hey there, Juufuku. Geez, you look like hell. Whose ass did you kick this time?"

Miho smiled weakly up at her.

"Hello, Sensei. All I wanted was a pomegranate cola. I didn't think I was going to have to fight for it."

But the tall teacher wasn't listening to Miho's half-hearted attempt at humor. As two Anti-Skill team members yanked the still-dazed criminal to his feet, Yomikawa peered intently at his face.

"My God, it's Yoshida!" she exclaimed. "We've been after this low-life for weeks. Nice work, kid."

Yoshida, who had recovered enough to realize what was happening, glared malevolently at Miho.

"I'll get you, you little whore!" he spat. "I'll gut you like a tuna! You're dead, do you hear me? Dead!"

He struggled to get free, but the Anti-Skill officers holding him quickly dug their fingertips into his pressure points and put an end to it. Miho, unmoved by his empty threats, scarcely paid attention as they dragged him out the door.

"I guess we should add resisting arrest and communicating a threat to the list of charges-…guh!" She winced as the Anti-Skill medic applied bioadhesive to her wounded shoulder through the hole in her sleeve. "Ooh, that smarts. Good thing I have a spare uniform."

"I'm kind of disappointed that I missed all the fun," Yomikawa pretended to pout. "Mind telling me what happened?" After Miho did so, the tall teacher grinned triumphantly.

"That loser's going to rot in the District 10 lock-up," she crowed. "Make sure your captain sends me a copy of the report so I can take it to my battalion commander. You'll probably get another letter of commendation out of this. How many would that make it? Nine, right?"

Miho shrugged. "Does it matter?"

"It matters to a lot more people than you realize."

"I'd don't mean to sound ungrateful, but why should it?" Miho countered, blushing and looking away. Yomikawa was embarrassing her. "I'm just an ordinary girl who's trying to make up for her past mistakes. It's one of the reasons I joined Judgment in the first place. I don't think I deserve praise for that."

Yomikawa sighed wearily.

"Whatever. I guess you have to chase your demons, even though I've given up trying to understand the way you think. But never mind all that. You really need to watch yourself. You know how violent things have gotten in District 7 these days – every time I see you, it seems like you're putting the boot to one of these punks."

She jerked a thumb over her shoulder at the van outside, where Yoshida was cooling his heels.

"It's not like I go looking for trouble!" was Miho's exasperated rejoinder.

"Maybe not, but trouble sure has a way of finding you. You've got the worst luck of any Judgment agent I know. Take my advice – get your captain to find you a new partner, someone good with their fists who can watch your back. It's one thing to deal with delinquent students, but you're not a strong enough fighter to face off against hardcore criminals by yourself. Not consistently, anyway."

Miho shifted uncomfortably, trying not to think of how close she'd just come to being killed.

"She says she's working on it."

"Keep after her," Yomikawa urged.

Miho simply nodded. There was no point to mentioning that she had been pestering her captain for weeks about a replacement. It would only make her seem whiny.

As the Anti-Skill team secured the crime scene, Miho called Judgment Control to report the incident. After she was done, she decided she should probably call her captain, as well, because waiting until she got back to the office to explain why she was overdue from patrol would only make things worse.

"Yotsuba," the familiar female voice answered.

"Hello, Senpai? It's Juufuku."

The branch captain's imperious voice trumpeted from the earpiece of Miho's cell phone.

"Where the heck have you been? You're overdue! You'd better have a good reason for not calling in!"

Miho rolled her eyes. Normally, she would simply endure her fiery senpai's rant in respectful silence, but at that moment she was in no mood to submit to any high-handed treatment.

"Is getting caught up an armed robbery a good enough reason?" she retorted icily.

Yotsuba hesitated, and when she resumed speaking, her manner was much more subdued.

"I got Anti-Skill's email alert a few minutes ago. Was that you? Are you okay?"

"He had a knife. It's just a gash, though – no real damage. One of the Anti-Skills patched me up. My left arm's going to be sore for a couple days, at most."

There were several moments of silence on the other end as this information sank in.

"Oh," Yotsuba finally mumbled. "Glad to know you're okay."

It was as close to an apology as Miho was going to get, so she simply moved on to describe what had happened.

"Another close call, huh?" Yotsuba remarked when she had finished. "You've had a lot of those lately."

Miho thought it seemed as good a time as any to press for a new partner.

"Um, Senpai, I'm sorry to keep bringing this up, but Yomikawa-sensei says that I'm asking for trouble by patrolling alone. Isn't there some way I could be teamed up with one of the third-years? Two of them had partners graduate just like mine did. Please…I'd really feel a lot safer working with someone rather than going solo."

To Miho's surprise, Yotsuba didn't put her in her place, as usual. On the contrary, she seemed unusually agreeable. Miho soon found out why.

"It just so happens that I have some good news on that front. Headquarters sent us a Center graduate after all. I spoke to her on the phone a little while ago, and she's due any minute. Looks like you're finally going to get that partner you've been badgering me about."

Miho almost dropped her phone in shock.

"Wait, what? I thought we weren't getting anyone from the latest Training Center class! How…?"

"Headquarters changed her assignment just yesterday," Yotsuba explained. "It seems they had her going to a branch way up north in District 20. Big mistake, since she's going to be attending that certain high school down the street, same as you. Anyway, once they fixed things, we wound up with her. Of course, those clowns in Human Resources never bothered to tell me."

"So she's reporting in today?"

"Yeah. We got lucky with this one, Juufuku. She's really sharp. I'll email you the highlights from her training record. I'm going to make her your new partner, and you can break her in for field duty. You're going to be a second-year, so it's time you took on a little more responsibility."

Miho sighed inwardly. She was a bit put off that Yotsuba had decided to pair them up without either of them meeting the new agent first, but that was pretty much the way the captain ran things – solve one problem, move to the next.

Still, to have a girl as a partner would be a nice change. Miho hoped they would get along, and maybe even become friends; she didn't have many of those because of her shyness. It certainly wouldn't hurt if her new partner was cute, too, but that would just be the icing on the cake. At this point, Miho cared less about looks and more about the girl's ability in a fight.

"Thank you for taking care of me, Senpai," she replied gratefully. "So, what's she like?"

"How the heck should I know?" Yotsuba snapped. Her usual prickly manner had returned. "We'll both meet her soon enough. Get back to the office as quickly as you can, okay? I need the initial report on that robbery written while everything's still fresh in your mind. She should be here by the time you arrive. I'll introduce her to you then."

Miho glanced down at her tattered and bloodstained uniform.

"But I'm a mess. I should go back to the dorm and change. I wouldn't want to show myself in front of my new partner like this. It would be disrespectful."

"This is no time to get all feminine on me," Yotsuba shot back. "There's work to be done. Just get back here ASAP."

"I'll be on my way as soon as Yomikawa-sensei releases me," Miho replied. "Slave driver," she added under her breath after the line was safely dead.

* * *

Half a kilometer away, Saten Ruiko's first day as a Judgment agent was definitely not unfolding as she'd expected. Things were off to a rocky start, and she hadn't even reported for duty yet.

When she'd called 176th Branch to see if they had any last minute instructions, she found Judgment Headquarters hadn't bothered to notify them that she was inbound. She'd wanted to crawl into a hole when the branch captain asked, "Saten who?"

Still, Ruiko found reason for optimism. The captain, Yotsuba, may have been surprised to hear from her, but she was definitely happy to learn her branch was gaining another agent. Beyond that, Yotsuba hadn't had much else to say, other than to request that she be at the branch office by 16:00.

Ruiko didn't need to be told twice. She was so eagerly looking forward to her first field assignment that by the time she reached the gleaming glass-and-steel high-rise tower that housed the 176th Branch office, her annoyance at the Headquarters bureaucracy had largely dissipated in the face of her rising excitement.

After leaving the elevator at the fifth floor, Ruiko followed the signs on the wall to the end of a nondescript corridor, where there was a gray metal door with a large, brightly-colored sign on it:

_Judgment ~ District 7 ~ 176__th __Branch_

_Controlled Area_

_All Visitors Must Be Escorted_

To the right of the door, there were two panels side by side. One, with a rectangular piece of dark glass mounted in its center, was a palm-print scanner, while the other housed a speaker with a large green call button underneath.

Wanting to make a good first impression, Ruiko took a moment to run her fingers through her hair and adjust her sailor uniform. When everything seemed in order, she reached into her book bag, pulled out her Judgment arm band, and carefully pinned it in place.

As she admired the way the green and white strip of fabric looked on her arm, she had a sudden attack of the jitters. It was the usual anxiety of someone entering a new work situation. Would she get along with her fellow agents? Was she really up to the task? Was she doing the right thing? To calm her nerves, she decided to engage in a bit of motivational self-talk.

_Okay, Saten, you're more than ready. They said you couldn't get past Level 0, and you worked your butt off and proved them wrong. And you made it through the Training Center near the top of the rankings, even though you were the least powerful esper in your class. It's taken you more than two years of hard work to get to this point. Today, you're finally off the sidelines and into the game. Uiharu, Shirai-san, and Misaka-san – they're all rooting for you. You can do this!_

With a deep breath, she pressed the call button. After a few seconds, a tinny, distorted female voice sounded from the speaker.

"May I help you?"

"Um, yes, my name is Saten Ruiko. I'm supposed to report for duty today."

"Ah, Saten, you're here. Good. You're in the system already, so press your hand to the scanner, then step to the door."

There was a buzz as the door unlocked, and after a moment Ruiko found herself in a large open office. It was quiet, because the place was nearly deserted. At the desk closest to the entrance, tapping at a tablet computer with a stylus, sat the room's sole occupant: a girl who looked to be a couple years older than Ruiko. The sound of the door closing caught her attention, and she set aside the tablet and stood in greeting.

The confidence that radiated from the girl's intense, dark-gray eyes gave the impression that she was used to giving orders and having them obeyed. They were set in a round face with a dainty, aquiline nose and pointed chin, and framed by shaggy brown hair. Her gray pleated skirt and navy-blue blazer hung loosely from her lean, athletic frame.

Trying not to be obvious, Ruiko allowed her glance to flick downward to the girl's navy-blue knee-highs and back up again. Although she had a taste for pretty women, this one didn't exactly make her hormones surge.

_Not bad. Kind of cute, but not my type._

The voice in her head took her completely by surprise.

_This is a Judgment branch, not a matchmaking service! Save the skirt-chasing for when you're off duty. Do I make myself clear, Saten?_

Ruiko's book bag hit the floor with a loud thump. She stared at the girl, who frowned back. Her lips hadn't moved, and yet…

…_how in the hell am I hearing a voice? And how does she know my name?_

The response was swift and forceful.

_One, I'm using telepathy, and two, you just identified yourself over the intercom. Are you dense or something?_

After a moment of glaring at Ruiko, the girl spoke audibly for the first time.

"All right, that's enough telepathy for the time being. It takes a tremendous amount of energy for someone without the ability, so we can't do too much of it or it'll tire you out. Anyway, I suppose I should introduce myself. I'm Yotsuba. I run this place."

For the second time in an hour, Ruiko wanted to crawl into a hole. Of all the girls she could have been caught checking out, it had to be her new boss. As a fiery red blush crept across her cheeks, she was tempted to go back out into the hall and hit the call button again, simply to start the entire process over. It was a silly notion, so she swallowed hard and apologized, trying to sound as sincere as possible, and hoping Yotsuba wouldn't hold it against her.

"Um, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to be disrespectful."

The ice in the captain's eyes melted.

"Apology accepted. It's not all your fault, anyway – you had no way of knowing that I was reading your thoughts. Now how about you introduce yourself to me properly so we can move on with our lives?"

Relieved, Ruiko bowed and launched into the expected formalities.

"It's nice to meet you, Yotsuba-senpai. I'm Saten Ruiko…" She let out a nervous giggle when she remembered that Yotsuba already knew her name. "Oops, right. Sorry. I look forward to working with you."

"Likewise," Yotsuba nodded. "Relax, Saten. I only telepathize when I feel it's worth the effort…for example, when I meet new people. I learn the most interesting things that way." Her frown curved upward into a smirk, and it made Ruiko blush yet again. "You seem sincere, though, so consider the whole thing forgotten. Work hard and show dedication, and we'll get along fine."

She made a sweeping gesture with her hand, indicating the room behind her.

"Welcome to 176th Branch. I guess I'll get started by giving you the tour. It'll be quick – there's not a lot to see."

Yotsuba grabbed her tablet from the desk, and began to walk through the room, pointing out its features. Ruiko retrieved her book bag and followed the captain around, listening politely, even though she could easily have given the tour herself. Apart from the fact that the entire left wall was made up of glass windows hung with vertical blinds, the room looked almost exactly like 177th Branch's office, where Ruiko had spent so much time hanging out with her friends Kazari and Kuroko. From the column of desks along the windows to the small break area in the far right rear of the room, the layout was identical, as if Headquarters had been working from a standard blueprint when they set the place up.

As Yotsuba had predicted, the tour took all of about five minutes. Afterward, the two girls sat at the small table in the break area, drinking tea the captain had poured from the dispenser on the counter. It was weak and didn't have enough milk in it, and therefore tasted more like dirty dishwater, but Ruiko forced it down without complaining. She'd already offended the captain once, and she wasn't about to do it again.

After a bit of small talk, Yotsuba got right down to business.

"I'm really glad you're here, Saten. We're a bit short-handed, so you're going to find yourself on patrol very soon, and you'll pull more shifts than you would in most branches."

"That sounds good to me," Ruiko assured her. "I didn't join Judgment to sit around."

"So I gather from looking at your record," was the captain's response as she dragged her stylus across the screen of her tablet. "Ranked third overall out of 283 in your Training Center class…first in practical studies and tenth in academics…second-highest score in the class on the physical fitness test…top student in defensive tactics. I like that last one – it means you're pretty good in a scrap. Yes, overall, very impressive."

Yotsuba's praise of her achievements made Ruiko uncomfortable.

"Well, um, it's not like I have a lot of talent or anything…but I _am_ a hard worker, and I don't give up easily…"

Yotsuba's eyes narrowed.

"Don't let it go to your head. The Judgment Training Center is an artificial environment. It's not like the streets. You might have done well there, but in the real world, you're as green as grass. The people we deal with carry real weapons, and they're not afraid to use them."

It was obvious that Yotsuba assumed Ruiko was a typical naive, sheltered Academy City student who'd never been in a fight in her life. Of course, the unfortunate truth was that she'd already faced death a number of times before she joined Judgment. After all, her three closest friends included two high-profile Judgment agents and a Level 5 electromaster with a hair-trigger temper, and her ex-girlfriend was a reptile-loving aeromaster with a track record of winding up as a crime victim, so she couldn't avoid facing more than her share of danger. However, there was no point to saying so. Something in Yotsuba's tone told Ruiko it would have been misinterpreted as overconfidence, anyway.

"You're in one of the toughest jurisdictions in District 7 now," Yotsuba continued. "District 10 is Skill-Out territory. It's right down the road, and the gang-bangers love to come up into this area to prey on helpless students. My agents and I deal with more violent crime in a month than most branches see in a year. This particular branch hasn't had anyone killed in the two and a half years since the World War, but most of us have been to the emergency room more than once. That's where you'll wind up if you get complacent, so trust your partner and stay focused."

It was the perfect opening to ask the question that had been nagging at Ruiko's mind the most.

"Um, Senpai, speaking of a partner…have you chosen one yet? For me, I mean."

"I'm going to put you with one of my second-years," Yotsuba informed her. "Her partner just graduated, and I need to replace him. You could do a lot worse. I consider her my top agent – eight commendations for bravery from the High Commissioner in the past two years. In fact, she just took down another armed criminal about an hour ago. Poor guy made the mistake of holding up a convenience store when she happened to be in it."

"Holy God, she sounds like a total badass!" Ruiko blurted out, unable to keep her thoughts from transforming into words. She clapped a hand over her mouth, embarrassed at using such rough language in front of Yotsuba, but the captain simply laughed.

"You'd never know it from looking at her…she's really shy and, well, girly, for lack of a better word. Not the type to stand out in a crowd. In fact, you'd never take her for a Judgment agent without her arm band. But you know what they say – appearances can be deceiving. When you get past the shyness and get to know her, you'll find she's really deep and intense, and a good friend, too…extremely caring and loyal to the few people she lets get close to her. And when she fights…well, let's just say she didn't get those commendations for nothing. The only negative thing I can say about her is that she's a bit too idealistic for her own good."

Ruiko was intrigued. Yotsuba's description made the girl seem larger than life. She pictured someone with a combination of all the best qualities that she admired in her friends: Mikoto's nobility and sense of justice, Kuroko's fierce courage, and Kazari's encouraging optimism. Of course, it wouldn't hurt if she had a killer body like Mitsuko, too, although Ruiko could do without the troublesome personality.

"So, uh…what's her name?"

The question didn't register, because at the precise moment Ruiko asked it, Yotsuba's cell phone rang. She answered it, had a brief, sharply-worded conversation with whoever was on the line, and then turned to Ruiko apologetically.

"Sorry, Saten, but I need to take this. You have a bunch of forms to fill out, so you might as well get started. Stay here and I'll bring the package back to you."

_Hmm…I guess I'll find out her name when she gets here, _Ruiko shrugged.

It took her about twenty minutes to slog through the stack of paperwork. She had just finished filling out the last form when she heard a loud buzz, followed by the sound of the front door opening and closing. _That must be her,_ Ruiko thought with a smile. _I can't wait to meet her._

"I'm back." Something about the breathy soprano seemed oddly familiar to Ruiko, but she couldn't place it. Still, she liked how gentle it sounded.

"Welcome back." Yotsuba's response was more of a mild scolding than a greeting; she reminded Ruiko of Kuroko taking Kazari to task over some trivial matter. "It's about time, too. If I didn't watch you every second, you'd-…geez, you're a mess! That uniform…"

The high-voiced girl's rejoinder contained just enough reproach to keep it from being openly disrespectful.

"I'm sorry, Senpai, but if you recall, you're the one who told me to come straight to the office. I was just following orders. And yes, my shoulder hurts. Thanks for asking."

"It's…it's not like I don't care or anything," Yotsuba spluttered. "You make me sound like a callous jerk. You're going to be okay, right?"

"Of course I am," the other girl soothed. "Please don't worry about me, Senpai. I've had worse."

"Can't help it," Yotsuba huffed.

Simply from the way the two girls talked to each other, Ruiko could tell they were close. Their mutual respect and affection was so obvious that they sounded more like sisters than superior and subordinate. Ruiko wondered what there was about the newcomer that was so special that she had broken through the captain's crusty _tsundere_ shell like this.

"Hey, your new partner's here," she heard Yotsuba say.

"Really?" was the excited response. "I'm so glad!"

"Come back and meet her before you write that report."

When the two girls walked past the divider into the break area, Ruiko's jaw dropped, and the pen she'd been using to fill out the forms slipped from her fingers and clattered to the table. Meanwhile, Yotsuba's companion took one at Ruiko and froze; a tidal wave of surprise swept over her face. Their exclamations of recognition were nearly simultaneous.

"Juufuku-san!"

"Saten-san!"

Juufuku Miho was, without question, the last person Ruiko expected to see at that moment, yet there was no mistaking the distinctive chestnut-colored _odango_ hairstyle, with its long, angled bangs that partially covered Miho's expressive brown eyes.

"You guys already know each other?" Yotsuba marveled. "Whoa. Did _not_ see that coming."

"We do," Miho confirmed, her face all smiles. "Although it's been a while."

Slowly, Ruiko rose to her feet, unable to stop gaping at the brunette. The Miho she remembered was timid and hypersensitive. During their brief acquaintance back in junior high, Ruiko had sensed none of the inner toughness in her that one would expect of a battle-hardened Judgment agent. In fact, she couldn't picture the Miho of those days as a member of Judgment at all, let alone as one of the most highly decorated agents in Academy City. It didn't seem possible.

_This is my new partner? Juufuku-san? You've got to be kidding. God, this has got to be some sort of bad joke or something._

Unfortunately, Ruiko had forgotten about the telepath standing next to her. As luck would have it, that telepath just happened to be listening in on her thoughts.

_What the hell is that supposed to mean? _

The scowl on Yotsuba's face sent a thrill of terror up Ruiko's spine.

_N-nothing…it's just that…she was a lot different back in the day…_

_You're an idiot, Saten. Juufuku is the best we've got, and there's a lot you can learn from her. Anyway, you're her partner now – end of discussion. And for the record, I am _extremely_ protective of her, so if you give her even a hint of trouble…_

The words trailed off, but the baleful look on Yotsuba's face left no room for interpretation. Ruiko gulped, and nodded her understanding.

Meanwhile, Miho's eyes shone from under her bangs with undisguised delight, and twin patches of blush smudged her cheekbones.

"Oh, Saten-san, I can't believe it's really you…and after all this time! I didn't even know you joined Judgment, and now we're going to be partners! To meet you again like this…I'm so happy!"

"Yeah, what are the odds?" Ruiko finally managed to squeak, keeping a wary eye on the nearby captain. "You're right, it _has_ been a while, hasn't it, Juufuku-san? Um, I guess that should be 'Juufuku-senpai,' shouldn't it? Please take care of me from now on."

She plastered a smile on her face and bowed formally.

"I look forward to working with you," Miho replied, returning the bow.

"Well, I can see you two have some catching up to do," Yotsuba observed. "I'll be up front. Remember, Juufuku, I want that incident report in the system before you go home."

"Yes, ma'am."

With a last warning look at Ruiko, the captain swept from the break area, leaving the girls alone. After a moment or two, Miho, whose smile had never wavered, broke the silence.

"Would you like something to drink? There's cold milk tea, sports drinks, and bunch of different kinds of cola…"

Although Ruiko wasn't really thirsty, the acrid taste of Yotsuba's failed tea still lingered in her throat, so she nodded.

"Milk tea would be great."

As Miho rummaged around in the nearby refrigerator, Ruiko took the opportunity to study her more closely. The older girl appeared to be a couple centimeters taller than she remembered. Not only that, her figure had definitely filled out, as well, especially in the chest. Even underneath a certain high school's baggy sailor suit, Ruiko could see the curves, and they definitely got her attention.

However, she was careful to make sure Miho didn't catch her looking the way Yotsuba had. Her interest was merely casual, and the last thing she wanted was for Miho to think otherwise. Ruiko had no desire to suffer through a replay of the short-lived but intensely passionate one-sided crush the brunette had had on her back in junior high, which she'd unwittingly brought on herself simply by trying to be encouraging.

For the moment, at least, it seemed that if she didn't do anything to give Miho the wrong idea, she had nothing to fear. Although the brunette was undoubtedly delighted to see her again, she was acting like it was simply a reunion of old friends. To Ruiko's relief, there was no evidence that she still harbored any of those feelings from back then. As long as they kept things professional, Ruiko figured there would be no complications.

Miho placed a bottle of milk tea in front of her companion, then took a gulp from her own can of pomegranate cola as she sat back down at the table.

"Ahh, that's just what I needed," she sighed contentedly. "I tried to get one of these at the convenience store, but ran into a bit of a snag. Sorry for my appearance, by the way. I didn't have time to change. It's just disgraceful."

As Ruiko took a sip of tea, she eyed the brunette's uniform. She had been so preoccupied that she hadn't noticed how disheveled it was until that moment. Its bloodstained, tattered left sleeve was held together with safety pins to keep it from falling open, but she could still see the white bandage through the gaps in the fabric.

"That looks pretty nasty. You sure you're okay?"

"It's just a scratch – not even worth going to the emergency room for. All I really need is ibuprofen to take the edge off. You shouldn't trouble yourself over it, but thanks for your concern." Miho smiled gratefully, and took another sip of cola. "If I wasn't alone, it probably wouldn't have happened. With no partner, the risk goes way up, but I guess I don't have to worry about that anymore, now that you're here."

The realization hit with unexpected force: that injury had to have happened during the armed robbery Yotsuba had mentioned. That was no training exercise Miho had gone through, but a real fight against an opponent who was trying to kill her. Not only was Ruiko was deeply impressed, she was also ashamed for doubting Yotsuba's words. The bandage on Miho's shoulder was proof enough that her new partner was indeed everything the captain had claimed.

As Ruiko looked across the table with new-found respect, her misgivings about their partnership evaporated. She decided she couldn't afford to be stuck in her pre-conceived notions of the kind of person Miho was. This was a different Miho, a new Miho. She was not only a hero, but she was the senpai whom Yotsuba had trusted to lead Ruiko. It was up to her to follow, and follow she would, to the best of her ability.

"Our next shift is at noon tomorrow," the brunette informed her. "Are you doing anything between now and then?"

"Not really, no."

"Well, if you're going to go on patrol with me tomorrow, we have a lot to do. For starters, I have a report to write, and you can help me. That'll be a great way to learn about the automated reporting system. After that, we'll work through your in-processing checklist together. It's going to be a late night. I hope you don't mind."

There was no way Ruiko was going to object, even if she wanted to.

"Of course not, Senpai. If you stay late, I stay late. We're partners, after all."

* * *

**A/N:**

− Thanks go to my long-time editor, Musician74, for beta-reading this story. According to her, the only reason she put up with my BS during the myriad rewrites of this first chapter is because "Ruiko and Miho are so cute together in Episode 14." (Too bad she's not as easy to please when it comes to my writing.)

− In canon, Miho and Ruiko are Level 2 and 0, respectively. When this story begins, however, they are each one level higher. How that came about will be revealed in a future chapter.

− Yotsuba is not an OC. She's actually a canon character from the _Index_ light novel series. In Volume 1, she is referred to in passing by Komoe-sensei as a Level 4 telepath who is somewhat of an expert in mental esper powers, and who also happens to be a member of Judgment. However, she never actually appears in any of the subsequent volumes, nor does she appear by name anywhere else in canonverse. Fan speculation most commonly equates her with the unnamed Judgment agent who attempts to telepathize with Touma in Season 1, Episode 22 of the _Index _anime. That is the image and personality I have used for her in this story. **_EDIT, 2/1/2013:_** Thanks to Anonymous Gun Nut for the following screen shot of "Yotsuba" from the _Index_ anime (remove spaces and change "0" in "c0m" to "o"): i1 . minus . c0m / isbA8840WzofC . jpg .

− I've tried to keep the effects of Miho's stun gun realistic, even though it's technically a departure from canon. When real people are shocked with a stun gun or Taser, they seldom lose consciousness, and usually aren't incapacitated for very long at all. It can take as many as three seconds of continuous shock just to drop a healthy person to the ground. As for a stun gun knocking someone unconsciousness for an extended period without also causing lasting neurological damage…it isn't going to happen.

* * *

Thanks for reading this chapter! Like it? Have some constructive criticism? Submit a comment below!


	2. Sun and Moon

_**WARNING! **__This story contains yuri subject matter. _Read at your own risk.

_**DISCLAIMER: **_I do not own any part of the _Raildex_ franchise. I do, however, own all original characters appearing in this fiction, and they may not be used elsewhere without my express written consent. I also do not own the cover art. That belongs to lexa (remove spaces and change "3" to "e"): www . pixiv . n3t / member . php ?id=92869.

_**NOTE ON FORMATTING:**_ Internal monologue, dreams, flashbacks, emphasized speech, and written/electronic/telepathic communications are _italicized_.

* * *

**Chapter 2: Sun and Moon**

On a Friday afternoon, one month to the day after Miho and Ruiko had become partners, the two girls walked through the glass-and-steel front doors of 176th Branch's office tower on their way to another routine patrol.

The overcast sky, herald of the predicted evening rain, drenched Academy City in dreary shades of gray. And because it was well after the standard school dismissal time, but still before the end of the business workday, the streets in that part of town were nearly deserted. It added up to a setting straight out of one of those retro American crime movies. _The only thing missing is a soundtrack, _Miho chuckled to herself. _Maybe a bit of jazz saxophone._

But the less-than-glorious weather didn't dampen the brunette's spirits in the least. It could have been raining lukewarm miso soup and she wouldn't have cared. As far as she was concerned, any day was a great day to be alive, as long as she was with the one she loved.

And that "one" was Saten Ruiko.

Miho hadn't exactly planned on it turning out this way, but when the two girls had come face to face for the first time in two and a half years, one look into those beautiful slate-blue eyes was all it had taken to awaken her old crush from its long slumber. Now, one month on, her feelings for Ruiko had spiraled into the kind of consuming passion only a besotted teenage girl could conjure within herself.

Even so, Miho hadn't yet confessed. Back in junior high, she'd overwhelmed the younger girl with her intensity, but now that fate had given her a second chance, she was determined not to make that same mistake twice for fear of driving Ruiko away again. This time around, she would take a more subtle approach, and keep her feelings to herself until the time was right.

The way things had unfolded over the past month gave her reason to hope. Their reunion had been awkward at first, but the two wound up hitting it off so well that they'd quickly become close, due in part to Miho's conscious effort to push past her natural shyness and reach out to Ruiko. Although she was pretty sure the younger girl didn't feel the same way, Miho would even go so far as to call Ruiko her best friend. But the brunette desperately craved more.

_She's single, and Yotsuba-senpai told me she likes girls…now all I have to do is to get her to fall in love with _this_ girl. I'll do whatever it takes, because she's totally worth the effort. _Trying to be inconspicuous, Miho stole a quick look at the object of her affection. _Oh, God, she's so gorgeous…what I wouldn't give to be in her arms at this very moment…and to feel that perfect body against mine…and… _

A series of mental images of her and Ruiko together, each more torrid than the last, flitted across Miho's consciousness. Unfortunately, they left in their wake an incriminating smile that quickly caught Ruiko's attention.

"That's an interesting face you're making, Senpai." The younger girl grinned at her knowingly. "What's got you so happy all of a sudden?"

With a start, Miho realized she'd been caught. There was no way she was going to answer honestly, so she decided on the next best option: bluffing her way out of it.

"Who, m-me? Happy? Oh, um…there's no particular reason. I, uh, happen to be in a good mood, I guess. How about you?"

To her relief, the desperate strategy of lobbing the conversation back at Ruiko seemed to work, because the younger girl immediately let the matter drop.

"I'm doing great, now that school's out." Ruiko stifled a sudden yawn. "Ugh…that final period almost put me to sleep. Thank God for Judgment duty. It's pretty much the highlight of my day."

"Mine, too, especially since you and I became partners." Miho paused, glancing sidelong at Ruiko to judge her reaction. Would she think the statement was strange? It didn't seem so, because the younger girl kept right on smiling. Miho decided to risk pushing things a bit. "Since we're on the subject, can you guess what day it is?"

The two walked on for several steps in silence as Ruiko tapped her chin with an index finger, trying to frame a reply.

"Um…it's…Friday?"

Miho really hadn't expected Ruiko to come up with the answer she was looking for, but gave in to the temptation to tweak her companion a bit anyway.

"Today's the one-month anniversary of the day we became partners," she pretended to pout. "I can't believe you didn't know that. That's really cold."

"I did _so_ know that…is what I'd like to say." With a sheepish grin, Ruiko rubbed the back of her head. "I'm really sorry, Senpai. I'm not that good when it comes to remembering dates."

"Don't worry about it. It just happened to occur to me when I was looking at my phone's calendar earlier." It was a bald-faced lie; Miho had been anticipating the anniversary for days. Still, she didn't want to put Ruiko off by seeming _too_ eager. "I figured it was worth mentioning. Maybe even worth celebrating."

Ruiko didn't seem the least bit taken aback by that idea.

"Well, I'm up for a celebration. How about we get parfaits at Joseph's? Your treat, of course." Before Miho could object, she added, "I'm only teasing. You're the senpai, so I should be treating _you_." She paused for a moment, and her smile faded, replaced by an expression Miho found unusually thoughtful. "You know, it's funny…if you told me when we first met that we'd both be Judgment agents someday, and that we'd wind up as partners, I would have said you were out of your mind."

Miho wasn't sure what to make of the statement.

"Is it weird that we're together like this? After all that…stuff I did, I mean."

There was silence for several steps before Ruiko answered.

"At first it was, yeah. After all the crazy things that happened back in the day, I didn't know what to expect. But you turned out to be a lot different from what I remembered."

"Is that a good thing?"

"Yeah…it really is. I never thought we'd get along this well, but it turned out we have a lot in common, and our personalities fit. And even better, you understand what I've been through, because you went through it yourself, with Level-Upper and all that. My other friends…they don't get how it still haunts me, but you do."

"That Level-Upper business isn't something I'm proud of," Miho objected. "And you didn't use it to hurt people…not the way I did. Not the way I hurt you."

Ruiko waved a hand dismissively.

"I forgave you for all that years ago, and you know it. Anyway, none of the details matter – it's the shared experience that counts. You get me, Senpai, and I get you. I guess that's why grew to be such close friends, even though we've only been partners for a month."

Only rarely did Miho get to see this side of Ruiko: the sensitive, introspective soul hidden beneath the light-hearted façade. For her to talk so openly about their friendship like this, and with such obvious warmth, was a major step forward, and it sent the brunette's hopes soaring.

"I never told you this," Ruiko continued, "but I've been thinking lately that it'd be nice if we…I mean, I'd really like it if we became even better…" The sudden jangle of a cell phone ring tone cut the raven-haired girl's words short. "um…even better…uh, Senpai? Shouldn't you answer that?"

_Never told me what? Became even better what? Friends? Goddammit! My first really deep conversation with her, and now this!_ Frustrated, Miho was tempted to turn off the phone's ringer, but when she saw Control's number on the display, she didn't dare to ignore the call.

"Hold that thought," she commanded her bemused kouhai, before flipping her phone open a bit too emphatically. "Juufuku." It was more of a snarl than an actual greeting, but after a moment, Miho's sense of duty kicked in, and she forced aside her annoyance at the interruption. As badly as she wanted to know what Ruiko was about to say, it would have to wait until later. Control didn't call agents on patrol if it wasn't important.

After the usual delay for voice recognition processing, a cool, almost metallic female voice sounded through the phone's earpiece.

"We have a report of suspicious activity near Checkpoint 2 of Route B1."

"That's the Third Street post office," Miho remembered.

"Affirmative. The caller said that two male individuals are loitering across the street. They weren't able to give a clearer description, and they couldn't tell whether the subjects were students or adults. They guessed the men were students, which is why they called us. You and your partner have this route, so we need you to skip Checkpoint 1 and look into it. If it turns out to be more than you can handle, call Anti-Skill Operations for back-up."

Miho frowned. Something didn't seem right. Loitering was often a sign of something more serious, like gang activity. Still, there was no point to speculating before they actually had a chance to check things out.

"Okay, we've got it." She disconnected the call, then turned to Ruiko, who had been following Miho's side of the conversation with interest. "That was Control, obviously. We need to head directly to Checkpoint 2. I'll give you the details as we go."

"Right behind you."

* * *

A short time later, the partners were crouching near the street end of the alley next to the Third Street post office.

"Guh! It smells like rotten eggs…" Wrinkling her nose in disgust, Ruiko shot a glance toward the trash receptacles lining the damp, mildew-stained alley walls. "I don't even _want_ to know what's in those. Why are we hiding in such a place, anyway?"

"We can't just go running up on those guys," Miho explained patiently. "Who knows what we'll find? There's a chance they aren't delinquent students, remember? If they're adults, they're probably street thugs of some sort. If we're really unlucky, they're Skill-Outs."

Ruiko was silent for a moment as she considered the implications of the brunette's statement.

"Hmm…you're right. Criminals would be carrying knives, at least. Maybe even handguns, if they're gangbangers. So how should we deal with this?"

"Before we do anything, we need to know what they're up to. I'm going to try to get a closer look. Stay here, and keep out of sight, okay? If I'm not back in five minutes, and I don't email you from my phone, call Anti-Skill, then come after me."

"Senpai…" For just a moment, slate-blue eyes locked with light brown, then looked away. "…um, nothing. Be careful, okay?"

While Miho suspected she was reading too much into Ruiko's unexpected words of caution, the fact that her partner seemed worried for her safety made her feel warm inside all the same. But there was hardly time to savor the moment.

"Don't worry, Saten-san. I'll be fine." With a smile, the brunette faded from view, then stepped out of the alley.

Third Street was quiet. Since it wasn't a major thoroughfare, both vehicle and pedestrian traffic were nearly nonexistent. The damp, dreary weather only contributed to the ominous atmosphere.

The two men in question were lounging next to a concrete retaining wall directly across the street from the post office entrance, feigning disinterest in their surroundings. Passersby were steering clear of them, as if they knew the two were up to no good.

Trying to keep her footfalls light so their sound wouldn't carry, Miho crossed Third Street, then stuck to the shadows, working her way up the sidewalk to get a better look.

Right away, she saw that the informant who had called Control had been mistaken. There was no way either man was a student at any of the area schools; they both looked much too old. The shorter of the two, whose head was shaven, had the bulky upper body of a weightlifter and the aura of a hardened criminal. He was leaning against the retaining wall, nonchalantly smoking a cigarette as if he was on a work break. In contrast, his companion – tall and lanky, with black, shoulder-length hair – seemed less composed than his skin-headed comrade. He paced back and forth nervously, muttering under his breath.

One additional detail immediately jumped out at Miho: the shorter man was wearing an oversized baseball jersey with the sleeves ripped off. The observation immediately flipped a switch in her memory. _Just like Yoshida was wearing at the convenience store. Is it a coincidence, or are they connected somehow?_

To better hear what they were saying, she crept to within a meter or so of the two loiterers, so close that she could see the tiny spray of pock-marks on each of the taller man's cheekbones.

"Goddammit, Tsubasa!" The taller man smacked his fist into his palm impatiently. "I don't like waiting around in the open like this."

Tsubasa took a deep drag on his cigarette, then blew the smoke out in a long stream before answering with a venomous growl.

"Shut the hell up, Souma. You're still just a prospect. You'll never be a full member of Retribution if you don't grow a pair of stones first. Remember what Yama said – this is the final part of your initiation, the last thing you need to do before you get your sleeveless jersey. So man up, and at least try to look intimidating."

Miho's blood ran cold. As she'd feared, the men were no petty criminals, but hardcore gangsters. She hadn't heard of Retribution or Yama – this was no surprise, since Skill-Out factions formed and dissolved on a seemingly weekly basis – and she was curious about how Yoshida fit into all of this, if at all, but she'd worry about those details later. At the moment, it was enough to know that she and Ruiko were going to have a hell of a fight on their hands if they wound up in a confrontation with these two.

Meanwhile, Souma was growing more and more agitated.

"But if we hang out here much longer, someone's going to call Anti-Skill."

With an annoyed grunt, Tsubasa flicked away his burnt-out cigarette butt.

"What are you, deaf? Don't you remember what Yama told us? If Anti-Skill shows up, we'll bail out and come back another day. But Yama said he doesn't think they'll bother checking out a report of two guys just hanging around, even if it's near a post office. They're too busy to deal with minor calls like that, so they'll dump it off on Judgment. That's what we want, remember?"

"But in broad daylight? What the hell is Yama thinking? Dammit, Tsubasa, I still don't like this!"

In a single explosive movement, the shorter man grabbed a fistful of Souma's jacket and yanked it downward until the two were face to face. There was a cold, soulless fury in his eyes that contrasted sharply with his flat tone of voice. Miho could see the taller man tremble visibly with fear.

"Listen, you bitch-ass, if you back out now, you'll be dealing with Yama, not Anti-Skill. Which do you think is worse?" He stared the terrified Souma down for a further moment, then slowly released his grip. "Besides, this is pay-back for Yoshida. He's in prison now because some bitch from Judgment took him down. Remember Yama's rule: 'For every brother, one of them.' You got your knife?"

Souma meekly patted the pocket of his jeans.

"Right here."

"Good. I've got mine, too. Yama wouldn't let me bring one of the pistols, so we'll have to make do. If there are two of them, I'll take the bigger one. If it's a solo patrol, I'll do it myself, and you can back me up. Hit 'em quickly, before they have a chance to use their ability, then run."

It was all Miho could do to stifle a gasp as it sank in that this was no a mere robbery, as she'd first thought, but a premeditated gang attack on Judgment. Not needing to hear any more, she immediately turned and ran back to where her partner was waiting. When she turned visible, the raven-haired girl jumped in surprise.

"Geez, Senpai! Don't scare me like that."

"We've got trouble," the brunette gasped, ignoring Ruiko's reaction as she tried to catch her breath. "Big trouble." When she reported what she'd seen and heard, Ruiko's jaw dropped.

"Are you serious? We were going to walk into an ambush?"

"Yeah…looks like it…" Miho breathed deeply and held it, trying to tame her racing pulse. The sickening taste of survival stress tickled the back of her throat.

"And this is because of…that guy you arrested? The one who tried to rob the convenience store?"

"You mean Yoshida? Yeah, there's no doubt about it. One of the guys said as much. I guess that explains the sleeveless jerseys. It's some sort of gang symbol."

"You think these guys are after…who? You personally?" Ruiko spoke slowly, haltingly, as if thinking out loud.

After a moment's consideration, Miho shook her head.

"It didn't sound like they were targeting any agent in particular. Besides, each day's patrol assignments are randomized, so there's no way they'd be able to tell in advance what route I was assigned to, or even what days I'm on duty, unless they cracked into the server, and they don't have the skill to get past the Gatekeeper's security system." She let out a deep, frustrated sigh. "I think this is just another case of bad luck on my part. Guys like these seem to dog my footsteps."

Ruiko's bemused expression morphed into a look of grim determination.

"Well, then, how about we turn your bad luck to good? Since we already know what they're planning, we have the advantage. I say we take them on, and end it today." She patted the expandable baton in the holster clipped to the waistband of her skirt.

From a logical standpoint, Miho knew Ruiko was right. It would be safer to follow Control's advice and call in Anti-Skill, but the men would simply run as soon as they heard the sirens, as Tsubasa had said. It would be impossible to predict when and where they'd try to strike next. The easiest way to eliminate them as a threat, and to send the proper message to their gang's leadership, would be to face them directly.

Still, Miho couldn't help hesitating. It had only been a month since her confrontation with Yoshida, and although her wound had healed, the scar still served as a daily reminder of how close she'd come to death. Not only that, Miho worried about her ability to lead Ruiko in such a situation. She'd always been a follower in the past, so leading was a new experience. And although she and Ruiko had had a few minor run-ins with delinquent students, they had no experience as a team when it came to dealing with real, life-threatening violence. What if she made a mistake that got one or both of them hurt? The fact that Miho had such strong feelings for Ruiko made her all the more reluctant to expose her partner to risk.

"Don't worry, Senpai. I've got your back." It was almost as if Ruiko had sensed her unspoken reservations. "They don't stand a chance against the two of us, as long as we're together."

Her words, delivered with such calm assurance, were all the encouragement Miho needed. It was doing them no good to crouch in a dank, smelly alley while she overthought the situation. Besides, this wasn't like the encounter with Yoshida. This time, she had Ruiko by her side – courageous, confident Ruiko, whom she trusted implicitly to protect her, and for whom she'd fight to the end of her strength. And even though they hadn't truly been tested, something deep inside told Miho that Ruiko was right: together, there was no way they could lose.

"Okay, let's show these guys they picked the wrong Judgment agents to mess with," she decided, earning a triumphant fist pump from her companion. "Here's what we're going to do…"

* * *

The two girls headed back down the alley the way they came, navigating through the maze of buildings until they returned to the point where they'd left their assigned patrol route: a pedestrian walkway that intersected with Third Street a block away from the post office.

"I'm going to turn invisible now," Miho warned her partner. "Remember, all you have to do is pretend you're on patrol by yourself. I'll keep pace with you."

When they turned the corner onto Third Street, Miho saw Tsubasa and Souma waiting for them. Immediately, the adrenaline began to bubble up inside her.

"It's 'go' time," she heard Ruiko mutter. "Still with me, Senpai?"

"Don't worry. I'm right beside you."

They continued up Third Street at a relaxed pace, as if they were making their routine rounds. The two men pretended not to notice Ruiko, although Miho could tell they were in fact watching every move she made. When the two girls got to within a couple meters of the men, Miho gave Ruiko's shoulder a quick pat, and they came to a stop.

"Judgment agent," Ruiko announced, pointing to her arm band. "This is a no-loitering zone. I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you gentlemen to move along."

In response, Tsubasa straightened up and stepped away from the retaining wall. Miho pulled her stun gun from its holster and quietly positioned herself between the skin-headed thug and his companion. Although they were practically shoulder-to-shoulder when she walked past him, the gangster didn't sense her presence. His attention was focused firmly on Ruiko.

"Hey, we weren't doing anything," he protested. "We're just waiting for a friend of ours."

Ruiko stood her ground, staring back at the muscular gangster without flinching. Her reply was clear and authoritative.

"I'm sorry, but you'll need to wait for your 'friend' somewhere else, or I'll be forced to cite you."

Tsubasa, clearly surprised by his inability to intimidate her, only wavered for a moment before recovering his bravado. Miho gulped when she saw his hand move to his pocket. She wanted to call out a warning, but didn't dare for fear of revealing herself. All she could do was keep an eye on Souma to make sure he didn't interfere, and hope that Ruiko had seen what she had seen.

"Really?" The muscular criminal's face creased into a mocking grin. "Hey, Souma, the scary Judgment girl says we need to move along. I guess we'd better do what she says."

It was a ruse, of course, because Tsubasa had no intention of retreating. Instead, he took a step toward Ruiko, who quickly slid backward, holding a palm out in warning. Her eyes blazed with purpose as they bored into those of the man confronting her.

"Stop! Don't come any closer, or you're under arrest."

With a loud, metallic snap, Ruiko deployed her baton. Miho blinked; the weapon was out of its holster and expanded to full length so fast that she'd barely seen her partner's hand move. In response, Tsubasa tensed up, as if he was ready to spring.

"Don't pull that out unless you're going to use it, bitch."

There was an audible click, and a knife suddenly materialized in Tsubasa's hand. He lunged forward, thrusting it at Ruiko's stomach, but the raven-haired agent easily read his attack. To Tsubasa's shock, his blade found only empty space as she slid out of its path. Before he could recover, the tip of Ruiko's baton smashed into his mouth, snapping his head backward, and then its barrel whipped downward across his wrist, knocking the knife to the concrete. With a roar of pain, Tsubasa clamped his uninjured hand over his wounded face; blood poured through his fingers.

"Get on the ground! Down! Down! Down!" Ruiko yelled the words into her adversary's ear, reinforcing her demand for compliance with a rapid-fire series of baton strikes to his thigh.

_Bam-bam-bam-bam!_

She hit Tsubasa with such force that the impacts sounded like semi-automatic gunshots. With a howl of agony, he promptly collapsed to the sidewalk face first. Ruiko was on him as soon as he hit the concrete, using her baton as leverage to twist him into a painful shoulder lock.

It took Miho longer to catalog the moves in her mind than it did for Ruiko to execute them. In real time, the entire sequence – from the time Tsubasa attacked until Ruiko put him on the ground – took less than three seconds. All the brunette could see was a blur as the barrel of Ruiko's baton crashed into the hapless Tsubasa, driving him to the pavement. It was as comprehensive a beat-down as Miho had ever seen in her two years in Judgment, and it left her dumbfounded with admiration.

With her attention focused on Ruiko and Tsubasa, Miho almost forgot about Souma, but it turned out she needn't have worried. He stood rooted in place, white-faced and trembling, gaping at his fallen comrade.

"You bastard! Help me! _Aaagh!_" A bellow exploded from Tsubasa's throat as Ruiko cranked his arm to an improbable angle, but his plea did nothing to stir Souma to action. The taller thug remained motionless, not even bothering to draw his knife. Tsubasa's suspicion – that he would lose his nerve – appeared to have been well-founded.

Miho decided it was safe to show herself, since she couldn't exactly arrest Souma while invisible. After stepping to within arm's reach of the terrified would-be gang member, she switched off her dummy check ability, then waved her stun gun in front of his face and pulled the trigger. She didn't actually touch him with the weapon, intending only to cow him into surrendering, but the move backfired. Miho's sudden appearance, along with the brilliant white-hot spark flashing in front of him, shredded what was left of Souma's composure, and with a shriek, he turned and ran down Third Street at breakneck speed. Miho was still deciding whether to give chase when her partner's urgent cry for help tore through the fog in her brain.

"Senpai! _Senpai!"_

Ruiko had managed to get one of Tsubasa's wrists handcuffed, but in the process, her baton had slipped out of position. With her submission hold no longer fully effective, she was struggling to keep the muscle-bound gangbanger under control. Before Miho could respond, he broke free through sheer brute strength, tossing Ruiko through the air as if she was a rag doll. Her baton went flying as she bounced off of the retaining wall and slammed to the sidewalk. After retrieving his knife, which lay nearby, Tsubasa began to crawl unsteadily toward the motionless agent.

"I'll slit your throat, you rotten cu_-ungh!" _With a vicious shin to the ribs, Miho stopped him in his tracks.

"_Don't touch her, you bastard!" _She rammed her stun gun home, and there was a whiff of ozone as 50,000 volts tore through Tsubasa's nervous system. With one last gurgle, he went limp. Moments later, Miho had his wrists safely manacled, and was kneeling next to Ruiko, shaking her by the shoulder and trying not to panic.

"Saten-san, are you okay? Saten-san?" _Oh, God, no. Please, Ruiko-chan, don't be hurt. I couldn't bear it._

With a shudder, Ruiko gingerly rolled over and sat up. She was pale as a linen sheet, but otherwise she appeared to be little worse for the wear.

"I…I'm p-perfectly…f-fine…"

"Oh, I'm so glad!" Overcome with relief, Miho couldn't stop the tears from welling up. "I'm…really sorry. I should have stopped him sooner. I was too slow."

"Aw, geez, Senpai, don't cry. It was my fault, not yours. I should have waited for you to help me. Besides, we're kind of new at this, and…ow." The younger girl grimaced as she rubbed the back of her head. "That's gonna leave a lump, for sure."

The expression on her face was so comical that Miho couldn't help smiling, even as she wiped the dampness from her eyes. Knowing Ruiko, she suspected it was all a calculated attempt to lighten the mood. Whether it was on purpose or not, it worked, and the brunette was grateful for it.

With Tsubasa subdued for the moment, the tide of adrenaline rapidly receded, leaving Miho with a sudden, profound weariness. Slowly, almost painfully, she stood up, then helped the still-wobbly Ruiko to her feet. Only then did she notice that a small crowd had begun to gather.

It seemed surreal to the brunette. When the confrontation began, she was sure that Third Street was deserted, but now there were people seemingly everywhere: workers from nearby businesses, post office employees from the facility across the street, and students in uniforms of all colors. There was even a quartet of girls from her and Ruiko's high school, all of whom were gazing at the two agents with what could only be described as reverence. There were excited murmurs of words like "awesome" and "princely."

The brunette turned away, not wanting to meet the onlookers' eyes. Why did people always make a fuss about this sort of thing? She longed to use her dummy check to make herself less conspicuous, but she decided against it, for Ruiko's sake more than anything else. Her partner was still a bit disoriented, and Miho didn't want to alarm her by suddenly fading from view.

Besides, this was not the time to wallow in self-consciousness. Until Tsubasa was safely in Anti-Skill custody, she and Ruiko couldn't afford to let their guard down. With a deep breath, Miho forced herself back on task.

"Hey, Saten-san, why don't you contact Judgment Control? It'll give you a chance to clear your head. I'll keep an eye on our friend here."

While her partner made the necessary calls, Miho cuffed Tsubasa's ankles for good measure, then enlisted the help of the postal workers in the crowd to move the spectators back to a safe distance. She finished just as Ruiko snapped her cell phone closed. To the brunette's relief, her partner seemed back to normal. At any rate, she sported her usual jaunty smile, the one that always seemed to make Miho's pulse quicken.

"Anti-Skill's rolling – they should be here in five minutes or less. I called the branch, too. Yotsuba-senpai wants us to go back to the office and take care of the incident report. She's calling in stand-by agents to finish the patrol for us."

Before Miho could answer, there was a groan from the man lying on the pavement.

"Ohhh…damn…hurts to breathe…"

It didn't take long for Tsubasa to discover that both his hands and feet were shackled. After a brief struggle against the restraints, he glared up at Miho with undisguised hatred.

"You bitches are lucky I can't get up. If I had my knife, you'd both be dead."

His threat was empty, intended more to provoke a reaction than anything else. Miho wasn't about to give him that satisfaction. Ignoring his verbal assault, she kept her expression neutral and her tone conversational as she crouched next to the fallen gangster.

"Okay, Tsubasa, how about you tell us all about Retribution?"

Surprise filled the prostrate thug's bruised, blood-caked face.

"How the hell do you know my name? And how do you know our set's name?"

"Because you told me."

"I didn't tell you a goddamned thing."

Miho smirked at his sudden confusion.

"Oh, you didn't tell me directly, but as you just found out, I can make myself invisible. All I had to do is walk right up beside you and listen to you and Souma run your big mouths. Because of that, you already gave me a lot of valuable information. For example, I know that your leader's street handle is Yama. I also know that you were planning to assassinate a Judgment agent out of revenge for Yoshida being arrested. By the way, he and I have met. Not a very nice guy, I'm afraid."

Tsubasa's eyes narrowed in sudden realization.

"Invisibility…hair buns…stun gun…you're her! You're the one!"

"Oh, was Yoshida a friend of yours?" Miho purposefully tried to sound innocent, knowing he would find it all the more infuriating. "I should have known. Well, good for you. Maybe they'll put you in a cell together…unless you wind up in a Japanese supermax, that is. With the kind of charges you're facing, it's certainly possible."

"You guys can wear ripped jerseys and flash gang signs all you want," Ruiko piped up. "But if your street soldiers keep getting arrested by teenage girls…don't you think that gives your gang a bit of an image problem?"

It was too much for Tsubasa's already-wounded pride to take. He tried to spit at Ruiko, but only managed to dribble more blood down his chin.

"You goddamned whore! How dare you make fun of Retribution! I'll kill you! And if I don't, Yama and the boys will!"

In spite of his bonds, he attempted to rise to his knees, but Ruiko shoved him back down to the sidewalk with her foot, then grabbed the cuffs on his wrists and yanked them upward, prompting a wail of anguished protest from the thug.

"Stay down!" Tsubasa ignored Ruiko's command, and continued to struggle despite his agony.

"This is police brutality! I know my rights! _Eeeyaagh!"_

Another yank on the handcuffs, followed by a quick reunion with Miho's stun gun, finally put an end to his struggle.

"It's not excessive force when you're resisting arrest," the brunette snapped, allowing herself to show anger for the first time. "If you want us to stop, then quit fighting back."

"Okay, okay! I'm doing it!"

Tsubasa slumped back to the sidewalk, and when Ruiko responded by letting go of the handcuffs, he lay still, offering no further physical resistance.

"You bitches are evil," he muttered. "Totally rotten to the core. You're demons, both of you."

"There's only one demon in Judgment, and that's the Demon Teleporter," Ruiko countered. "But she works for another Judgment branch. On this side of town, you have to deal with us, and we're…we're…" She turned to Miho with a blank expression. "…um, who are we?"

Her question caught Miho by surprise. Judgment agents didn't usually identify themselves using street handles. Most of the time, the criminal element bestowed them upon those who'd made their mark as opponents to be reckoned with, as with Shirai Kuroko, the aforementioned Demon. But Miho didn't see any problem with giving their reputation in gang circles a little push. Besides, if they left things to chance, they might wind up with weird, humiliating nicknames like Invisible-Hair-Buns-Girl or Skinny-Baton-Girl.

In a flash of inspiration, she remembered an obscure manga about a duo of sword-wielding shrine maidens who fought to protect ancient Kyoto from demons. When the two fought side by side, they were said to be invincible. It was no stretch at all to imagine herself and Ruiko as the main characters. The image was perfect.

"Taiyou to tsuki," she replied, flashing a smile at her bemused partner before turning back to face Tsubasa. "Yeah, that fits. Just call us Sun and Moon."

"'Sun and Moon'?" the man echoed dubiously. "What the hell kinds of names are _those_?"

"As a gang member, you ought to appreciate symbolism, so allow me to explain." Miho nodded toward Ruiko. "That's Sun-san. She's as brilliant as the real thing, and if you get too close to her, she'll burn you to vapor. Of course, you found that out through the loving strokes of her baton."

With alarm he couldn't quite hide behind his tough-guy exterior, Tsubasa eyed the weapon, now retracted and in its holster at Ruiko's waist. He offered no reply.

"As for Moon, well…she's content to reflect Sun's glory," Miho continued. "Sometimes you see her, sometimes not, but she's always there. Ignore her at your peril." As she had done with Souma, she held up her stun gun and briefly fired it. Tsubasa flinched at the resounding crackle of the electrodes, and this time his apprehension was obvious. "So when your pals come to visit you in prison, spread the word: if they think they're going to put in work in this part of town, they'll have to deal with Sun and Moon. Do I make myself clear?"

"You'll eat those words, whore. Retribution will see to it." With that final verbal salvo, Tsubasa refused to say anything more. Satisfied that he no longer posed an immediate threat, Miho turned to Ruiko, only to find her partner gazing off into the distance, apparently lost in thought.

"Is there something wrong, Saten-san?"

For a long moment, the younger girl didn't answer. She looked like she was trying to make some sort of decision. Finally, she nodded to herself, then turned to Miho.

"Sorry. I was just thinking about those names, that's all."

Miho felt suddenly anxious.

"What, Sun and Moon? They're not…weird, are they?"

"No, they're fine," Ruiko insisted. "At first I thought they sounded like something out of a cheesy Hong Kong action film, but the more I thought about it, the more I think they fit."

"You like them, then?"

"What's not to like? Besides, you're the one who came up with them, so that automatically makes them cool." With a grin, Ruiko raised a fist, waiting for Miho to bump it with her own. "Sun and Moon – we're one badass team."

Miho wanted to protest that if either of them was "badass," it was Ruiko. As far as the brunette was concerned, she herself was just a timid little Level 3 esper who hid behind her dummy check ability, but who had enough of a mean streak to use a stun gun when she needed to. There was nothing impressive about her at all. In contrast, the Ruiko who had faced down Tsubasa was a shining paragon, a warrior princess at whose feet Miho would gladly prostrate herself in worship.

But there was no way she could tell Ruiko any of this. Not only was the setting too public to express sentiments so intimate, but she had no standing to do so. She was, after all, merely a friend.

Words having failed her, she simply smiled, and gently touched her knuckles to Ruiko's.

* * *

It wasn't until much later, about a half hour before curfew, that Miho finally got all the documents from that afternoon's incident properly filed. Yotsuba had gone back to her dorm only a few minutes earlier, leaving her and Ruiko to lock up the branch office for the night.

It had been a tough evening. Yotsuba had been irate over Miho's decision to engage the criminals directly instead of calling in Anti-Skill, and it had taken her and Ruiko a while to convince their volcanic captain that they'd made the right call. When the partners finally got down to writing the initial incident report, it had taken a long time to reconcile their differing perspectives on what had happened. Then, to top it all off, a call had come from an Anti-Skill detective asking for more information about Souma, for whom they were still searching, and Tsubasa, who was refusing to talk to the interrogators, and that had cost Miho and Ruiko another hour on the speaker phone. Coupled with the post-traumatic stress from their encounter with the gangsters, the entire shift had left them both completely tapped out. Unfortunately, the night wasn't over yet; each girl still had a mountain of homework waiting for her back at the dorm.

With an exhausted sigh, Miho logged out of the server, then stood and stretched, trying to work the kinks out of her lower back. After a few moments of fantasizing about a long soak in hot water, she looked over to the waiting area on the other side of the room, where her partner was sprawled across one of the couches. Ruiko had finished her administrative duties about an hour earlier, and had fallen fast asleep while waiting for Miho. The white bow on the front of her uniform rose and fell in time with her deep, regular breathing.

She walked over to where her partner lay, intending to awaken her, but Ruiko looked so peaceful in repose – almost angelic – that the brunette was transfixed, and momentarily forgot her purpose. Instead, she knelt next to the couch, drinking in the sight of slumbering girl lying in front of her.

_You're smiling, just a little…what are you dreaming of, I wonder? Will you ever dream of me the way I dream of you? Oh, Ruiko-chan, I'm so deeply in love with you that it hurts me to hold back like this…_

All of a sudden, Miho realized that their faces were close, so close that she could feel the younger girl's breath on her cheek. All she had to do was to lean down a little further and she'd capture the lips she'd so longed to taste. Ruiko was sound asleep, and they were alone. If Miho was gentle, no one would ever know but her.

After briefly wrestling with the temptation, she steeled her resolve. There was no way she could take advantage of Ruiko like this. Besides, stolen kisses didn't have the same meaning as kisses freely given.

With a deep breath to regain her composure, Miho pulled back to a polite distance, then shook the slumbering girl's shoulder.

"Saten-san…Saten-san, wake up…"

Ruiko's eyes snapped open.

"Wha-…huh…?" After a moment spent getting her bearings, she blinked up at Miho, who was busy giggling into a cupped hand. "Oh, hey, Senpai. What's so funny?"

"You are. Those expressions of yours…it must have been a very interesting dream." _And you're too cute for words when you're sleepy,_ she wanted to add. Ignoring the gentle teasing, Ruiko stretched languidly, then sat up.

"Yeah, it was…really weird," she yawned, without offering any further details. "Sorry about this. I guess I sort of drifted off while I was waiting for you."

"Well, I'm done now, and everyone's gone. We should leave, too."

In line with the weather forecast, it was a rainy walk back to the dorm, but Miho didn't really mind. Because Ruiko was her usual lively self, their conversation flowed as effortlessly as always, and that made the wet and uncomfortable hike seem like a stroll in warm spring sunshine. Still, the brunette noticed that her companion avoided talking about anything to do with the afternoon's events. She thought it seemed strange, but decided not to push the matter, figuring that Ruiko would bring up the subject in her own time.

When they finally arrived at the door to Miho's dorm room – Ruiko had insisted on walking her there, something she didn't usually do – the raven-haired girl abruptly turned serious.

"Hey, Senpai, there's something I need to tell you."

"I'm listening." Miho studied her companion's face, trying to understand the emotions swirling across it. Ruiko's slate-blue eyes had grown cloudy, and her cheeks were an uncharacteristic pink.

"I…that is…this afternoon…" She seemed to be struggling for words, as if she was giving voice to deeply-held feelings that she wasn't used to showing others. "That guy…he could have killed me…but you saved me…thank you." With that, Ruiko threw her arms around Miho's neck and pulled her into a fierce embrace. "You're not only my important friend, you're my hero."

Too stunned to react, Miho didn't even have the presence of mind to return the hug. Even if she wanted to, it was impossible, because her arms dangled uselessly at her sides, turned instantly boneless by the exquisite sensation of Ruiko's chest pressing against her own. The gentle caress of the younger girl's breath against her ear very nearly turned her reply into a moan.

"You're…mine…too…"

It was over much too quickly. When Ruiko finally released her, Miho came close to letting out a whine of disappointment. She hoped her partner couldn't hear the hitches in her breathing, and that she wouldn't mention the ferocious blush the brunette was sure covered her entire face. But if Ruiko sensed how perilously close Miho had been to falling to pieces in her arms, she didn't show it.

"Sorry about that," was all she said. "I guess I got carried away."

Still riding a tide of bliss from the unexpected display of affection, Miho beamed up at the taller girl.

"No, um, it's okay. I didn't mind. Not one little bit."

"Oh, good." Ruiko matched Miho's smile with one of her own before reaching into her skirt pocket and pulling out her cell phone to check the time. "Well, I guess I should head to my room. It's nearly curfew, and we both have school tomorrow. But before I do…are you, um, free on Sunday? Say, about 10:00?"

Miho blinked back at her.

"You and I are the stand-by agents that day, but otherwise, yeah, I'm free."

Suddenly, Ruiko looked a lot less sure of herself.

"I remembered about stand-by, but, um…there's a sale at 7th Mist, and…well, I was going to go anyway, but…uh, I didn't want to go alone, so…um, I kind of figured that maybe, if you're free Sunday afternoon…would you, um…would you be interested in going there with me, and maybe…you know, hanging out afterward?"

The question struck Miho speechless. _Did she just ask me on a date? My God, she asked me on a date!_

Misinterpreting the brunette's reaction, Ruiko waved her hands in protest.

"I didn't mean anything weird by it. It's just that…well, you were saying something this afternoon about celebrating our first month as partners, so I thought, uh…yeah."

It was only with supreme self-control that Miho didn't shout her reply at the top of her lungs.

"Yes. Yes, that's an awesome idea!"

Relaxing visibly, Ruiko grinned back at her, but before she could say anything further, the dorm's public address system crackled to life.

_Attention please. It is now curfew. All students are requested to go to their rooms. Attention please…_

"I've got to go," Ruiko apologized over the din of the loudspeaker. "Can I call you in a little while? To, um, talk about the details for Sunday."

"Yeah, I'd really like that."

"Okay. Later!" As Ruiko trotted back down the exterior walkway, Miho watched her go, wishing the good-bye hadn't had to be so rushed. Then the full realization of what had just happened hit her like a ton of bricks.

_Ruiko-chan hugged me…and called me her hero…and asked me on a date… _After Ruiko had disappeared into the stairwell, Miho stood staring off into the distance for a long moment, unable to fully believe it all._ I'm going on a date with Ruiko-chan…does this mean she…oh, my God…_

Miho burst through the door to her room and danced past the kitchenette and into the main living area. After tossing her book bag onto the nearby kotatsu, she raised her fists toward the ceiling in triumph.

_Sunday…I'm going to go for it on Sunday!_

* * *

**A/N:**

− My deep gratitude goes to my long-suffering editor, Musician74, for her assistance with this chapter.

− I apologize to my regular readers for taking so long to update this fic. Not only is real life a tough taskmaster, but I struggled with a bad case of writer's block when it came to this particular chapter. Hopefully, what I wound up producing was worth the wait.

− The first reader to spot all the _Kannazuki no Miko_ references in this chapter gets a virtual cookie, as well as a retro-edited acknowledgement in this space. _**EDIT, 4/1/2013:** _The virtual cookie goes to _**Spawn of Merlin**_ for pointing out that the manga Miho remembered was a knock-off of _KnM,_ and that Souma and Tsubasa are character names from that series.

* * *

Thanks for reading this chapter! Like it? Have some constructive criticism? Submit a comment below!


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